How to Fix Slow Startup on Windows: 10…

This article summarizes general troubleshooting guidance for informational purposes. Back up important files before making system-level changes, and if you're not comfortable with a specific step, stick to the earlier, lower-risk fixes in this list.

Key Takeaways

Most slow-startup problems on Windows 10 and 11 come down to a short list of causes: too many startup apps, outdated drivers, a nearly-full drive, or an aging mechanical hard drive rather than an SSD.
Disabling unnecessary startup apps through Task Manager is consistently the single highest-impact, lowest-effort fix — most people see the biggest improvement from this step alone.
A specific batch of 2026 Windows updates, including KB5063878, KB5065426, and KB5065789, has been linked to a documented networking-related startup delay of nearly two minutes for some users, worth ruling out before assuming a broader system problem.
Switching from a traditional hard drive to an NVMe SSD remains the single most dramatic hardware fix available, often cutting boot times from over a minute down to 10–15 seconds.
Work through fixes in order from simplest to most involved, and restart after each one — most people never need to reach the last few steps on this list.

1. Restart and close unnecessary background apps first

Before changing any settings, give the system a genuinely fresh start. Select Start > Power > Restart, and once the desktop reloads, open only the applications you actually need right away. A restart clears accumulated system state that can build up over days or weeks of continuous use, and it's worth doing before any deeper troubleshooting so you know whether later fixes actually made a difference.

2. Disable unnecessary startup apps

This is the fix most troubleshooting guides agree matters most. Apps like Spotify, Discord, Teams, and various browser update services often set themselves to launch automatically every time you turn on your PC, even though you may not need them running immediately. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to the Startup apps tab, and disable anything you don't need running the moment you log in — you can always open these apps manually later when you actually want them.

3. Check for and install pending Windows and driver updates

Windows updates frequently include performance fixes, so running on an outdated system can genuinely make boot times worse than they need to be. Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, install anything offered, then check Advanced options > Optional updates for available driver updates specifically — storage and graphics drivers in particular directly affect how quickly your PC reaches a usable desktop.

That said, updates aren't always the fix — sometimes they're the cause. A specific cluster of 2026 updates, including KB5063878, KB5065426, and KB5065789, has been associated with a documented issue where networking takes close to two minutes to initialize after boot, even though the rest of the system loads normally. If your slowdown appeared right after a specific update and centers specifically on networking rather than general boot time, checking Microsoft's official support channels for a fix tied to that specific update is worth doing before assuming a broader hardware or software problem.

4. Scan for malware and unwanted programs

Malware and Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) — software that sneaks onto your system bundled with free downloads — frequently hide in the startup process and can meaningfully slow down boot times without any obvious symptoms otherwise. Run a full scan with Windows Defender, and consider pairing it with a dedicated tool like Malwarebytes for a more thorough second check, since different scanners can catch different things.

5. Free up disk space

A drive that's nearly full forces Windows to work harder during startup, particularly if you're still on a traditional hard drive rather than an SSD. Go to Settings > Storage > Storage Sense and let Windows automatically clean up temporary files, cache, and old update files it no longer needs. As a general guideline, keeping at least 15–20% of your main drive free gives Windows enough breathing room to operate efficiently.

6. Adjust visual effects for performance

Windows' animations and visual effects look polished but do consume CPU and GPU resources during startup and beyond, particularly on older hardware. Search for "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" in the Start menu, and choose "Adjust for best performance" to turn off the more resource-intensive effects, or selectively disable just the ones you don't care about while keeping others.

7. Repair system files with SFC and DISM

If your system feels sluggish beyond what startup apps and visual effects alone would explain, corrupted system files could be a contributing factor. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run sfc /scannow to check for and repair corrupted system files, followed by DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth if problems are found that SFC alone can't fix. These are safe, standard Windows diagnostic tools, though they can take a while to complete.

8. Review Fast Startup settings

Windows' Fast Startup feature is designed to speed up boot times by saving system state to a hibernation-like file rather than fully shutting down — but on some systems, particularly after a driver update or hardware change, it can actually cause startup problems instead of solving them. If your slowdown started around the same time as a hardware or driver change, temporarily disabling Fast Startup through Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do is worth testing as a troubleshooting step.

9. Check your RAM if you're running low

If your PC only has 4GB of RAM, Windows and your startup applications will quickly fill available memory, forcing the system to rely on slower virtual memory instead. This shows up as sluggishness well beyond just startup. Upgrading to 8GB as a baseline, or 16GB for smoother multitasking, is a meaningful and relatively affordable fix if your hardware supports it.

10. Upgrade from a hard drive to an SSD

If you've worked through the software-level fixes above and startup is still slow, your storage drive itself is very likely the bottleneck. Switching from a traditional mechanical hard drive to an NVMe SSD is widely considered the single most effective fix available, often cutting boot times from well over a minute down to just 10 to 15 seconds. It's a bigger investment than the software fixes above, but for an older PC still running on its original hard drive, it typically delivers the most noticeable improvement of anything on this list.

What this means if you're troubleshooting right now

Work through these fixes in order, and restart after each one. Most people see the biggest improvement from the first two or three steps alone — disabling startup apps and clearing space — and never need to reach the hardware-level fixes at the bottom of the list.
If your slowdown is specifically about networking taking a long time to connect rather than general boot time, check for the specific 2026 update issue mentioned above before troubleshooting more broadly. It's a documented, fairly narrow problem with a different likely cause than general startup bloat.
Don't jump straight to a full system reinstall. A factory reset does work, but it's the most drastic and time-consuming option on this list, and most slow-startup problems are fixable without it once you work through the steps above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Windows PC suddenly slower to start than it used to be? The most common causes are apps that have set themselves to launch at startup over time, a drive that's gotten close to full, or a pending Windows or driver update. A sudden change is also worth checking against your recent update history, since some updates have introduced documented startup issues in 2026.

Does disabling startup apps actually make a noticeable difference? Yes — it's consistently cited as the single highest-impact, lowest-effort fix available. Every app that launches at startup competes for the same system resources during an already resource-intensive boot process, so removing unnecessary ones frees that up directly.

Is it worth upgrading to an SSD just to fix slow startup? If you've already tried the software-level fixes and startup is still slow, and you're still running a traditional hard drive, yes — it's widely considered the most dramatic single improvement available, often reducing boot times by a factor of four or more.

My PC boots fast but the desktop takes forever to load afterward — is that the same problem? Not exactly, though the underlying causes overlap. That symptom usually points more specifically toward startup apps and background services loading after login, rather than the boot process itself — steps 2, 4, and 9 above are the most directly relevant fixes for that particular pattern.

Sources & References

Technobezz, "How to Fix Slow Startup in Windows 11 and Windows 10 (12 Ways)"
Technobezz, "Windows 11 Slow Startup and Long Boot Time? 11 Ways to Fix It (2026)"
GeekOMPC, "How to Fix Slow Startup Windows: 10 Fixes for Faster Boot"
PartitionWizard, "Windows 11 Slow Startup? 9 Proven Ways to Speed Up Boot Time"
TechIdea, "Speed Up Windows 11 Startup in 2026: Proven Tips"
StartupStride, "How to Fix Slow Startup Windows Fast in 2026"
Microsoft Q&A, "Slow startup (~2 min) on Win11 - How do I fix?"

How to Fix Slow Startup on Windows: 10 Fixes That Actually Work in 2026